Masks
by SassySnow1988
Summary: Evil Tuesday Tumblr Prompt for Proudtobeasouper. Snow sneaks into a masquerade and dances with Charming, he recognizes her and helps her escape. Alternate take on the feast from 7:15 AM. Snowing fluff.


**Masks**

**A/N: **For Proudtobeasouper, Evil Tuesday Tumblr Prompt Ficlet. Alternate take on the feast we see Charming refuse to attend in "7:15 AM." Spoilers through that episode.

**Prompt: **Snow sneaks into a masquerade and dances with Charming, he recognizes her and helps her escape.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own a damn thing, I just play with the characters a little.

**Rating: **Teen (language and some sensuality)

**Written While Under the Influence of: **KayleePetey's YouTube vid "Trying Not to Love You (Snow White/Mary Margaret and Prince Charming/David)," Fransisca Hall-Until It Hurts, and Ray LaMontagne-Shelter.

_"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." _

—_James A. Baldwin_

David folded his arms over his chest and quietly fumed as he watched the dancers twirl past him, each wearing enough jewelry and fine clothes to completely supply his family's farm for at least a month. He couldn't think of many more things he'd rather not be doing than this right now, but George—_Father_, David corrected mentally—had insisted he attend the celebration of his own engagement, lest Abigail or her father, King Midas, take offense to his absence. The only solace was that the ball's theme was a masquerade so, at least for tonight, the shepherd could hide behind his mask and not have to play the part of Prince James.

George glared at him from behind his own mask, unsurprisingly the King of Spades, for refusing the last three invitations to dance, but David didn't care. If his pretend father pressed the issue he would just claim that he didn't know the steps and had refused to protect their ruse. In reality, David simply couldn't feign interest in any of the women in the room—beautiful as they were—with his thoughts so totally occupied with another woman.

_Not_ Abigail.

The blonde in the ice blue mask had remained at her father's side most of the night, thank the gods, only leaving when invited to dance, but otherwise avoiding him entirely.

No, David's thoughts were on the same subject that'd refused to leave his mind for nearly a month now.

_Snow._

Ever since their meeting in the woods not a day had passed that he hadn't thought about her, worried about her, _dreamed_ about her. At night he would stand out on his balcony and stare toward the woods, hoping she'd simply appear and fighting off the desire to escape the castle and go to her when she didn't. But he couldn't.

David had no illusions about what would happen if he ran away. George would kill his mother for spite, and Snow... Gods only knew what the despot would do if he ever found out about her. But even more troubling were the things David didn't know. Namely how Snow felt about him. He'd thought there had been a spark between them on the road when she'd tried on his mother's ring, but she had still walked away, not even looking back. It was entirely possible she hadn't given him a second thought after they parted ways and he was alone in his longing.

His jaw clenched at the thought and how helpless he felt, heart and mind tugging in opposite directions. But his mind abruptly quieted as the throng of dancers shifted to begin a new dance and his gaze fell upon _her._

XXX

Snow's heart beat feverishly against her ribs as she forced herself to walk slowly across the ballroom and not break into a sprint like the adrenaline pumping through her demanded. She'd gotten what she came here for and the theft hadn't yet been discovered, but her mark's husband was following her, trying to cajole a dance out of her. Snow called a vague excuse over her shoulder without turning, but the lecherous noble who'd stared at her cleavage the entire time she chatted up his wife was undeterred.

She could easily lure him into a hallway off the ballroom and knock him out, but was reluctant to risk exposure just yet. And leaving an unconscious noble in the hallway was _less_ than subtle. If Snow was being perfectly honest with herself, she hadn't come here simply to steal. When she'd first received the note from Johanna about the noblewoman being at the masquerade tonight, the rogue princess had been torn between excitement and anxiety. Any castle was a dangerous place for her to be, but _this_ castle was doubly so.

_He_ was here.

_Prince Charming_.

He was here somewhere among the crowd and it'd taken all her fortitude to locate the noblewoman and not seek him out instead. Snow knew it was a bad idea to see him again, but hoped that if she saw him here, happy and at home in this world with his riches and nag of a fiancée she'd get him out of her head. Because the man had plagued her every moment since she'd watched him walk away from her in the woods. Maybe if she knew for sure that whatever she was feeling for him was completely one-sided she could finally move on with her life.

Snow pushed Charming from her mind as she continued through the ballroom, focusing on how to get rid of the noble on her tail as one dance ended and another began. She glanced up just in time to avoid crashing into the man that suddenly stepped in front of her. Green eyes flying wide as she got a good look at him, the sandy hair, the scar on his chin, but it was the eyes, those drowning deep, earnest blue eyes, that gave him away. Even with his face half-covered by a mask, painted a shining silver to resemble a knight's helmet, Snow immediately recognized him.

"Excuse me, Your Grace, but the lady already promised me this dance," he said smoothly, bowing to the noble and extending his hand to her.

She actually had to concentrate to keep her hand from shaking as she accepted his, never more thankful for the mask hiding her flaming cheeks. Charming, her literal knight in shining armor, always coming to her rescue.

XXX

David honestly couldn't help it; for just an instant his wildest dream had come true and Snow was right there in front of him, and he acted without thinking. But then he'd seen the pure shock on the woman's face and his mind caught up with him. This wasn't Snow. What the _hell_ would Snow be doing here? She stayed in the woods because her stepmother had a bounty on her head, not because she enjoyed the scenery. How arrogant and stupid was he to think she'd risk being found just to see him?

An apology was on his lips for blocking the woman's path when he noticed the noble chasing after her, twice her age and with his eyes unabashedly glued to her curves. Eyes narrowing, David decided that maybe he could do one better than just an apology. She hesitated when he offered his hand and he could see the calculation in those green eyes—so like Snow's that his heart jumped in his chest—then finally her white gloved fingers curled around his.

"Please forgive my impetuosity, madame," he began as he led her onto the dance floor, "but you looked like you could use a hand getting away from that guy."

She just smiled at him, ducking her head shyly and joining the women already lined up.

David frowned as he fell in line with the men, disappointed not to hear her voice. The music swelled and both rows stepped forward, men to women, left hands raised but not touching as the couples rotated in a slow circle. Even though he knew she wasn't Snow—_couldn't_ be Snow—he couldn't take his eyes off her. Everything, hair black as a raven's wing coiled into an elaborate twist atop her head, the evergreen dress that made her skin look that much paler and matched the mask she wore, accented with an intricate swan, her verdant eyes peering out at him between gossamer wings, reminded him of the woman who had him spellbound and he'd likely never see again. David would never get a chance to dance with Snow, but decided to let himself pretend. A memory, if a faulty one, to hold dear through his impending marriage to a woman he could barely stand let alone love, through a lifetime of living another man's life.

When the rows started forward again, right hands raised, the shepherd was dancing with his Snow, not some nameless woman who looked like her.

XXX

Snow's heart soared as they danced, always so close to touching but never making contact, and she found she _hated_ the staid, coy court dances. Her fingertips still burned through the thin satin where he'd held her hand before and all she wanted was to feel those hands on her again. This was the exact opposite of the way things were supposed to go, and being so close to him was only making the feelings he stirred within her stronger instead of dissipating them, even though he didn't know it was her. Still, the way he looked at her, those blue eyes staring right into her just like in the woods, peeling back all the armor she'd built since her father's death and seeing _her_. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

On the next revolution, Snow spotted the noblewoman over his shoulder, clasping her bare neck and talking excitedly to her husband. He motioned to a pair of knights standing guard, calling them over. Snow's stomach dropped as she watched them, feeling the proverbial noose tightening around her neck. The noble gestured wildly then he glanced up and saw her, starting toward her with the knights flanking him. She gasped, eyes flitting around the room for the nearest exit as the song drew to a close. The women curtsied, the men bowed, and Snow let her fingers slide down Charming's palm as she dropped into a curtsy, eyes meeting his one last time before she hurriedly exited the ballroom.

She only allowed herself to run once she turned the corner in the hallway, skirts in hand as she raced through the halls. The basic floor plan of most palaces was similar, but the hall she'd ended up in branched out into a maze of living quarters and she couldn't decide which way would lead her out. Snow paused and could hear the distinct sound of chainmail and armor, the knights, coming closer. She backed up, blindly feeling for the next turn in the hallway when a hand closed around her wrist. Snow didn't have time to scream before she was dragged around the corner and into a chamber, the door slamming shut behind her.

XXX

David watched the woman all but flee across the ballroom, hand tingling from where her fingers had trailed across it, confusion wrinkling his brow. She tugged her billowing skirts higher as she reached the hall, and all the breath was punched from his lungs when he caught sight of worn boots on her feet instead of dainty slippers. _Familiar_ worn boots.

"I'll be damned," he muttered under his breath, lips twitching into a grin.

The grin faded when David caught sight of the knights pursuing her, and he carefully slipped from the ballroom himself and down a back hallway.

XXX

Snow found her back against a heavy wood door, looking up into the smiling face of Prince Charming. She let out a relieved breath but it caught in her chest when his hands reached behind her, untying the bow of her mask. Her eyes never left his as he pulled it free, and she exhaled heavily, trying to manage her usual grin. "You're supposed to wait till midnight to unmask people, Charming."

His smile grew. "I've never been much for tradition."

She lifted her hands and untied his own mask, eyes roving the rough planes of his face. "Is that why you pulled an unsuspecting woman into your bedchamber?" Snow gestured around them, pulse pounding at their closeness.

He finally seemed to realize that he was still looming over her and took a step back, looking adorably abashed. "I'd hardly call you unsuspecting," Charming replied, giving her a pointed glance.

She chuckled at that and pushed off of the door, stepping more into the chamber, unable to keep her eyes from wandering the room, _his_ room.

Charming seemed to notice her appraisal and grew uncomfortable, hands curling restlessly at his sides. "So...what brings you here?"

Snow bit her lower lip, picking at her gloves, unsure how he'd react to the truth or if she even wanted to tell it. "Maybe I just wanted to see how you and your fiancée were doing," she joked instead.

His head quirked to the side, blue eyes regarding her skeptically. "You didn't come here just to see me, did you?" He read the truth on her face without her saying a word. "You're here to steal something," Charming began, then remembering all the commotion outside, he continued, "You already stole it."

She just shrugged, not meeting his gaze.

He grinned at her. "My little thief."

Snow shot him a pointed look at that. "I prefer the term bandit," she corrected dryly.

Charming folded his arms and leaned back against a bedpost, having way too much fun playing this game with her. "So what was it this time? More magic dust? No, an enchanted flower? No, I've got it. An invisibility cloak?"

"If I had an invisibility cloak would I be hiding here with you?" She raised a black eyebrow at him, but he could see the corners of her mouth twitching with suppressed laughter.

He dipped his head, conceding that point. "All right. Then you tell me," he replied, gesturing for her to go on.

"A necklace," Snow sighed, reaching up and touching the pearl pendant hanging from the wide silver collar around her neck, expression sober.

Charming's brow wrinkled in confusion, picking up on the shift in her mood. "I thought you only stole from the Queen?"

"Technically, I did. Regina sold this to the woman who wore it tonight. It wasn't Regina's to sell, so I took it back." The green gaze that met his was fierce with barely contained anger at the mention of her stepmother.

"So who does it really belong to?"

"My mother. My real mother, I mean," Snow replied, avoiding his gaze. "When my mother died, most of her jewelry was to pass to me as part of my dowry. But when Regina branded me a murderer she sold off my things, among them my mother's jewelry. My mother wore this when she married my father. I was supposed to wear it when I married…" She took a deep breath, and he could swear he saw tears in her eyes, but she blinked then stared defiantly into his face. "So I took it back."

Charming swallowed hard, unsure what to say, if anything, to her right now. "It suits you," he finally croaked out, throat suddenly dry.

A slight smile graced her lips and she went back to picking at the long white gloves she wore.

He stepped forward, reaching for her when a knock sounded at the door.

"Your Highness?" a man's voice called on the other side.

Snow's head shot up, green eyes wide with panic.

Charming gestured for her to hide behind the alcove of the balcony as he started toward the door. She ducked where he'd indicated, listening hard as she heard him open the door and have a brief conversation with whom she assumed was one of the knights searching for her. The door closed again and footsteps crossed the room. "It's okay, I got rid of them," Charming told her, appearing at her side.

Snow sagged back against the wall in relief. "Thank you." She smiled up at him, pushing herself upright.

"You're welcome." He grinned back, blue eyes bright.

Her smile faded as the moment wore on. "I should get going," she said, clearing her throat and starting back into the room, tugging her gloves off along the way.

"You're going to try to sneak past the guards in _that_?" Charming nodded at the dress. "You stand out a little."

Snow blushed at the compliment and how he looked at her, reaching back to unclasp the necklace and gently placing it down on the bed. "The dress was my ticket in to the party. Your guests apparently couldn't make up their minds which dresses to wear and brought extras. I brought something else to wear out." She reached up under the voluminous skirts and unhooked a small bundle of clothing he recognized as her jerkin and shirt from the woods.

"I gathered," he muttered wryly, then continued when she shot him a look, "I saw your boots earlier. They don't quite match your dress, you know."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Well you try running in those ridiculous heels and then we'll talk."

Snow reached behind her for the laces running down her back and Charming turned on his heel, trying to focus on anything other than the fact that the woman he hadn't been able to stop thinking about for a month was alone with him in his bedchamber, undressing. After a few moments and more than a few frustrated noises, she called out to him, "Charming?"

"Hmm?" he replied without turning.

"I need a little help. This stupid thing got knotted somehow."

_Dear gods, give me the strength, _ David thought, squeezing his eyes shut and taking a deep breath as he turned and walked toward her.

Snow stood with her back to him, the first few laces loosened but the dress had caught a third of the way down. He cleared his throat and set to work, focusing on working the knot free and then unlacing the rest of the corset. David didn't let himself think about the soft bare skin he revealed as he moved lower, or how a raven curl had worked itself free of her updo and trailed down the nape of her neck just begging to be brushed aside. But when he finally finished and the fabric fell forward, leaving her pale back completely exposed he couldn't resist trailing his fingers over her shoulder blades and down her ribs, feeling as much as seeing her shudder. David swallowed hard and took a step back, balling his hands into fists at his sides to keep from doing something stupid.

She muttered a thank you and moved toward the bed where she'd left the bundle of clothing, her corset cradled to her chest. David turned away to give her some privacy, fingers still tingling with the memory of how soft her skin felt and looking anywhere but back at her, when his eyes fell on the mirror in the corner, catching tantalizing glimpses of pale, bare skin. He could see her free her hair and watched the curls tumble across her shoulders, barely covering the curve of her breast as she tugged her shirt on. David bit down hard on his lower lip and forced his eyes to the stone wall in front of him, counting the dull grey bricks.

At fifty, Snow finally said, "Okay, you can turn around now."

He cautiously obeyed, surprisingly grateful to find her fully clothed. She carefully wrapped the necklace in a cloth and shoved it inside her jerkin then carelessly bundled the dress into a ball, and he couldn't help but chuckle at that.

David strode to the door and checked to make sure the hallway was clear, motioning for her to follow him. He led her down a back stairwell that opened out to the stables. "You shouldn't run into any guards if you take the path past the stables to the woods," he advised, reluctant to let her go.

She nodded, green eyes holding his a moment too long and just when he was certain she was about to say something, Snow clamped her mouth shut and looked away. David caught her arm as she moved to slip past him, tugging her back to him. But before she could ask what he was doing, his mouth was on hers, soft yet insistent. Snow stiffened against him then pressed into his kiss, allowing herself this moment she'd wanted so badly but hadn't dared hope for.

He's engaged and a prince, and she's a disgraced and wanted woman. They could never work out, but just for this one moment, Snow pushed all that aside. For just this moment, with him, she let herself be.

When he pulled away terror shot through her at the emotion in those deep blue eyes—she knew what it was but refused to name it. He _can't_ feel that for her, feeling that for her would only get him killed. But she found herself yearning for it more than she'd ever thought possible. Yearning for _him_, the feeling growing stronger every moment since he'd crossed her path in that ballroom.

"Charming..." Snow breathed, staring up at him helplessly.

"Now go. I will find you." His hand caressed the nape of her neck lightly, unbridled faith radiating in his gaze.

And instead of telling him no, that they must _never_ see each other again as she knew she should, all that passed her lips was, "Always."

Even more alarming was the hope that bloomed in her chest along with it. Snow wanted him to find her again. Wanted him to look at her with that expression of intense longing and the word she wouldn't allow herself to even think. Those thoughts were dangerous, she knew, but not nearly as dangerous as the emotions stirring in her meticulously walled off heart. Charming could bring it all crashing down around her if she let him, and Snow wasn't even surprised to find how much she wanted him to do exactly that.

XXX

David watched Snow disappear into the woods then turned and headed back up the stairs to his bedchamber. He couldn't help the smile on his face even if he tried, which he didn't particularly want to. In some corner of his mind he knew the situation was far from settled, but at the moment all that mattered to him was that Snow had feelings for him as well. He'd seen it in her eyes and felt it in her kiss. David knew she was scared of it too, and he couldn't blame her.

But now that he knew she felt as he did, that his mother's ring had indeed led him to his true love—the same ring he kept in the pocket of his doublet right over his heart—he wasn't about to let anything stand between them. David would fight for the woman he loved and one day, he'd put that ring back on her finger and keep it there.

Thanks for reading!

SassySnow1988


End file.
